Manipulator.



E. S. KEYES.

MANIPULATOB.

AYPLIUATIOH FILED 00111, 1912.

Patented July 8, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

witnesses G i i W E. S. KEYBS.

MANIPULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0C'1.11,1912.

Patented July 8, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR Earl ci fryed ATTORNEYS WITNESSES I g E. S. KEYES.

MANIPULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.11,1912.

1,066,627. Pa ented July 8, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

LLU

FIG. 4

WITNESSES INVENTOR g )7 Ear 6 it; W6: L/I I TTOFNIYS UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

EARL S. KEYE S OF PABNASSUS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASS IGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 GEORGE D. HAMOR, OF NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

MANIPULATOR.

7 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1913;

Application filed .October 1 1. 1912. 'Serial lilo. mas-z.

invented certain new and useful Improve naents in Manipulators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to manipulators, and the objects of my invention are Fi1-st, to pmvide a manipulating device for handling -various kinds of work, for instance metal sheets, bars or unfinished mateciarlg. lumber in various atoms, and any material that is ordinarily manipulated or handled by hand. Second, to provide a manipulator that can be advantageously used in connection with rolling mill rolls, planing mill plancrs, .and machines of varimilstypes where pieces of work are'retunned to be further 1 operated upon. Third, to 'pro'videa m'anipulater that saves considerable time and labor, particularly in a sheet rolling mill where sheets in an unfinished condition are manually manipulated numerous times before be ing finished. Fourth, to provides manipulater consisting-of comparatively fiew. pants,

'inexpensive to manufacture, durable and easy to assemble, and comparatively-inexpensive to setup. Fifth, to provide a ma nipulator that faoilitatesan expeditious and economic production of sheet, metal and eliminates a laborious task in connection with the manufacture of the me.

The above objects ane attai ed :by a nov combination of mechanical elements thstwill then claimed, and reference will'now be 'had to the drawings, wherein like numerals idenote corresponding parts "throughout several views, in wluchz- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the manipulator showing the pivoted anns and gravity carriers in elevated position by dotted; lines, 2 is a plan of a treadle'actuated n echan-ism,"Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the manipulaton'showing a piece or work supported in an elevated position, 4 is an end view ofthe manipulator, showing the counter-balanced supports in a low- .ered position, Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the same in an elevated position, Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of the operating mechanism partly broken away and partly in section, Fig. 7 is a cross seetion view of the same, and 8 is a perspective view of detached arms and gravity wriers.

A manipulator in accordance with this invention 4 comprises a foundation or base trams 1, which in the present instance, is rectangular in plan and is held in an elevated position .by legs 2 or other supports. The base frame 1, as it will he heremafiter termed, has transverse braces 3 provided with longitudinally alining uprights 4:. The upper ends of the uprights 4 ans slotted or bifurcated, as at 5 and revolublymounted in the inner ends of said slots are rollers or wheels 6. Movably mounted upon the-rollers or wheels 6 isa longitudinal work su port 7 that is guided in its movement by the side walls of the slots 5, The :WOIk support 7 has a plurality of platforms 8 that are equally spaced throughout the-length of said work support, said platforms having the upper surfaces thereof beveled, as at 10 in the from which a pieee'iof work is received, thereby allowipg a iece of work to easily pass onto thelplat inns of the support.

The sides of the hese iramel are provided with a plurality of equally spaced trans" rock shafts 11 and 12. Mounted upon the outer ends of the rock shafts 11 'and 12 are sets of supporting arms 13, 14, I5, =16 and 17, be hereinafter specifically desorilied and of said arms and serving as bearings for counter-balanced supports 20 that havethe upper ends thereof reduced, as at 21, whereby said supports will remain in longitudinal alinement with the arms 13 to 17 inclusive until otherwise shifted.

.The outer sides of the-arms 15 are pr0- vided with wrist pins 22 and loosely 'mounted upon said pins are pitmen 23 and 24, the former being loosely mounted upon an eccentric wrist .pin 25, carried by the outer side of a driven wheel 26 mounted upon the end of the shaft 27, jo'urnaled in bearings 28, carried by the bottom side-of the base frame 1. The pitman 24 is p'ivotally connected, as at 29 to a crank 30 mounted upon the opposite end of the shaft 27.

The driven wheel 26 has the periphery thereof provided with a shoulder-'31 and adapted to frictionally engage the driven wheel 26 is a small friction wheel'32' mount-f ed upon one end of a shaft-33, journal ed in bearings 34 and 35. The bearing 34is slidably mounted in a housin 36 carried by the bottom side of the base rame 1, at one side thereof, said bearing having tongues 36 to prevent lateral displacement, said tongues extending into the grooves provided therefor in the housing 36 and the frame 1. The

. bearing 34 is retainednormally intermediate the ends of the housing bycoiled compres sion springs 34, these springs shifting-the bearing to an intermediate position after having been actuated. The bearing-35.. has a stem 36 rotatably mounted in-the opposite side of the base frame, the bea i"ing s ;3 4 and 35 permitting of the wheel 32 being shifted into engagement with the driven bearings 39". The shaft 41 is provided with a longitudinal treadle 38, best shown in Fig. 2.

The rock shafts 11, intermediate the ends 1 thereof, are provided with cranks 42 and 43,

the former being of less length than the latter and saidcranks are pivotally connected together by a'link 44, the end of the link 44 being .pivotally connectedto the crank 43, intermediate the ends thereof. The upper end of the crank 43 is pivotally connected, as at 45 to one side of the su port 7 by a bar 46, whereby when the shafts 11 are rocked, the support 7 will be reciprocated upon the rollers or wheels 6 in the.

upper end of the uprights.

The arms 13 to 16 inclusive are provided with .cam members 47, said members being positioned to be engaged by the counterbalanced supports 20 as the arms 13' to .17 are lowered, as shown in Fig. 1. The end of the base frame 1 has cam members 48 adapted to be engaged by'thel-"countebbalpass 52 for a piece of work 53, as a sheet of metal. Assuming that the manipulator is in the position shownin' Fig.3, a pieceof work passes onto the platforms 8, while thepiece of work 53-. is beingremOvedfrdm the counter-balanced supports 20. .As the piece of work 53 is removed from the supports 20 of the arms 13, said supports assume a vertical position and this is true of the other counter-balanced supports 20, which successively assume a similar position. During the time required for the piece of work 53 to pass off of the counter-balanced supports 20, another piece of work is I sliding onto the platforms.

After the sheet ofmaterial, which is designated 53, passes ofi' all of the counter balanced supports 20, the arms 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are lowered by gravity and when so doing, owing to the manner in which the arms 15 are connected to the wheel 26 and crank 30, that is by thepitmen 23 and 24,

the wheel 26 will be shifted to the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing andspaced from the wheel 32, as the wheel 32 is in an inactive position. When the arms 13 to 17 are lowered, the counter-balanced supports,

are carried therewith and move in the path of the cam members 47 and 48 whereby said counter-balanced supports are shiftedto the position shown in big. 4, that is tojsay, to

extend below the plane of the platforms 8v whereby when the said arms 13 to 17 'are elevated, the counter-balanced supports will engage the sheet of metal carried by the platforms 8 and elevate the same weight of the sheet of metal maintains the counter-balanced supports 20 at right angles The."

with respect to the arms 13 to 17 until the sheet of metal is pulled off. of all of saidcounter-balanced supports. The arms 13 tags. 3 "118' arms 15 are elevated, all of the arms w ll 17 are connected together whereby when the move in unison. The arms 13 to 17 are ele vated when the wheel 26.7moves in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1 and which in turn shifts the shaft 27, the latter carrying the crank 20 therewith. When the wheel26 moves in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1, the pitman 23 is shifted andalso the pitman 24, this will elevate the arms 13 to 17. The wheel 26 is driven from the wheel 32 and said wheel 32 is moved into frictional con tact with the wheel 26 by the operator depressing the treadle 38", which causes the operative connection betweenthe treadle 38, andthe lever 40, to shift the lever 40, wherebythe'reach rodBB is moved longitudinally in a-- direction to cause the wheel 32 to "frictionally engage the wheel 26 and drive the latter. When the'wheel 32 passes off the shoulder 31, it will cause a jarring ofthe treadle 38 and indicate to the operator that the arms 13 to 17 have been raised the necessary distance and pressure is then released from the treadle 88. After the'sheet passes off the eounter balanced supports 20, the

arms 13 to 17 lower by gravity.

As the arms 13 to 17 inclusive are lowered the supports 20 are" shifted inwardly at right angles to said arms by the cam members 47 and 48, said supports 20 assuming this position at the same-time the work support starts toward the rolls. As the sup ports 20 are elevated they pass between platforms and engaging under the piece of work,

raise the piece of work from the platforms and carry it upwardly as the work support moves into position at the rolls to receive another piece of work. The end of the piece of work 53 is projected onto the uppermost roll and is removed from the supports 20 as fast as another piece of work is fed onto the shiftable work support.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have devised a work manipulating device that embodies a reciprocatory work support and that cooperating with said support there are arms and supports 20 for removing a piece of work from the support and shifting the same into position to be .removed from the support 20, the supports 20 successively assuming a position that permits of the arms being restored to their normal position without interfering with an other piece of work passing onto the sup- .port. The means employed for restoring the counter-balanced supports to their normal position arecarried by the arms in the maori ty of instances and with the arms operatingin unison, a large piece of work can be evenly carried to a position to be removed from the counter-balanced supports.

The manipulator eliminates the labor heretofore resorted to for receiving pieces of work from the pass 52 and transferring the:

same over the uppermost roll 51 to again be placed in position,

It is thought that the operation and utility of the manipulator will be apparent without further description, and while in 2. A manipulator comprisingabase frame, a reciprocatory work support carried by said frame, 'arms movable simultaneously with said work support, and counter-balanced supports carried by said arms and adapted to remove work from said work support. 3. Amanipulator comprisinga base frame, a reciprocatory work support carried there by, and arms pivotally supported by said baseframe and movable simultaneously with said su port, counter-balanced supports'carried by said arms and adapted to remove a piece of Work from said support,

and means carried by said frame for operating said arms and said work support.

4. A manipulator comprising abase frame, a reciprocatory work support carried thereby, and means carried by said base frame whereby a piece of work can be elevated from said work support to permit of said work support receiving another piece of work.

5. Amanipulator comprisinga base frame, a reciprocatory work support carried thereby, and gravity carriers movable simultaneous with said work support for removing a piece of work from said support and shifting the same into position to be removed from said counter-balanced supports.

6. A manipulator comprising a reciprocatory work support, arms movable simultane ously with said Work support, and counterbalanced supports carried by said arms and adapted to remove a pieme of work from said support and shift the same into position to be removed from said counter-balanced supports.

7. A manipulator comprising a base frame, a reciprocatory Work support carried thereby, counterbalanced supports movable with said work support and adapted to remove a piece of work therefrom and shift said piece of work to an elevated position to be removed from said counter-balanced supports, and means for restoring said counterbalanced supports to a normal position to again remove a piece of work.

8. A manipulator comprising a work support, arms movable relatively to said support, and counter-balanced supports pivot; ally supported by the ends of said arms and adapted to be positioned to remove pieces of work from said support.

9. A manipulator comprising a base frame, a work support carried thereby, pivoted arms carried by said frame, counterbalanced supports movable with said arms, and means for maintaining said counterbalanced supports at right angles to said arms whereby a piece of work can be removed from said support.

10. A manipulator comprising a base frame, a work support carried thereby, pivoted arms carried by said frame, counter- WMWMWM AV w ,i U

balanced supports movable with said arms, means for maintaining said counter-balanced supports at right angles to said arms whereby a piece of work can be removed from said support, and means supported by said frame for o erating said arms.

11. A manipu ator comprising a work support, counter-balanced supports held in position relativel to said support to remove a piece of work therefrom, means for elevating said counter-balanced supports to remove a piece of work from said support, and shift said piece of work to be removed from said counter-balanced supports, said counter-balanced supports successively assuming a position whereby said counterbalanced supports can be restored to a normal position.

12. A mani ulator for work in.connec- .tions with rol com rising a reciprocatory work support mova le to and from said rolls, and gravity arms movable simultane ousl with said work su ort for removing work therefrom and shi ting the work over said rolls.

13. A manipulator for pieces of Work operated upon by rolls, comprising a reci rocatory work support movable to and mm the pass of said rolls, pivoted arms movable with said work support, and means carried by said arms for removm of work from said support and shifting the same to the top of said rolls.

14. A manipulator for pieces of work operated upon by rolls, comprising a work support, pivoted arms adjacent to said support, and counterbalanced supports movable with said arms and adapted to remove a iece of work from said support and shift t e same over the top of said rolls, said counter-balanced supports assuming a position to provide clearance for said supports as said arms assume a normal position.

15. A manipulator for pieces of work operated upon by rolls, comprising a work support, pivoted arms adjacent to said support, carriers movable with said arms and adapted to remove a piece of work from said support and shift the same over the top of said rolls, said carrie s assuming a position to provide clearance for said supports as said arms assume anormal posit-ion, and means in connection with said arms for shifting said carriers into position to remove another piece of work from said supports.

16. A manipulator for pieces of work operated upon by rolls, comprising a reciprocatory work support movable to and from said rolls, counter-balanced supports held at right angles to said support and movable relatively to said support whereby a piece of work can be removed from said support and shifted over said rolls, said counter-balanced supports assuming a position to provide clearance for said support as said counter-balanced supports are restored to normal position, and means impinged by said counter-balanced supports to position said counter-balanced supports at right angles to said sup ort.

1 A mani ulator for pieces of work operated upon y rolls, comprising a base frame, a work support carried thereby, arms movably supported by said frame and movable relatively to said work support, means carried by said arms and held at right angles thereto for removing a piece of work rom said support as said arms are elevated, said means assuming a position to provide clearance for said work support as said arms are restored to normal posltion, and means for restoring the first mentioned means to normal position.

18. A manipulator for pieces of work operated upon by rolls, comprising a base frame, a movable work support carried thereby, sets of arms movable in unison with said work support, counter-balanced supports carried by said arms at right angles to said work sup ort and adapted to remove a piece of wor from said support as said arms are elevated, said counter-balanced supports assuming a position when relieved of said piece of work to provide clearance for said work support as said arms are restored to normal position, and means im pinged by said counter-balanced supports for restoring said counter-balanced supports to normal position.

19. A manipulator for pieces of work op-- 100 erated upon by rolls, comprising a base frame, a movable work support carried thereby, sets of arms movable 1n unison with said work support, counter-balanced sup ports carried by said arms at right angles to 05 said work support and adapted to remove a piece of work from said support as said arms are elevated, said counter-balanced supports assuming a position when relieved of said piece of work to provide clearance 110 for said work support as said arms are restored to normal position, means impinged by said counter-balanced supports for restoring said counter-balanced supports to normal position, and means carried by said 115 base frame whereby said support and said arms can be moved.

20. A manipulator for pieces of work operated upon by rolls, comprising a base frame, a movable work support adapted to 120 receive work from said rolls, sets of arms movable simultaneously with said work support, counter-balanced supports carried by said arms and held at right angles thereto to engage under a iece of work carried by 125 said support and s ift said piece of work from said rolls, said counter-balanced supports successively assuming a position to provide clearance for said work support as said arms are restored to normal position,

and means 'carried by said arms and impinged by said counter-balanced supports for positioning said counter-balanced supports at right angles to said arms.

21. A manipulator for pieces of work operated upon by rolls, comprising a base frame, a movable work support adapted to receive work from said rolls, sets of arms movable simultaneous with said work support, counter-balanced supports carried by said arms and held at right angles thereto to engage under a piece of work carried by said support and shift said piece of work over said rolls, said counter-balanced supports successively assuming a position to provide clearance for said work support as said arms are restored to normal position, means carried -by said arms and impinged by said counter-balanced supports for posi- \tioning said counter-balanced supports at EARL S. KEYES.

Witnesses J. P. APPLEMAN, MAX H. SRoLovrrz. 

